Grassley assumes major new role

With Republicans now the majority party in the United State Senate, all of that body’s committees are now chaired by members of the GOP.

Iowa’s senior senator, Charles Grassley, has been chosen to helm the Judiciary Committee. He is the first person who is not a lawyer to chair this committee.

The Judiciary Committee has broad policy jurisdiction and a crucial oversight role. An especially vital part of its mission is vetting nominees for lifetime appointments to the federal judiciary. That includes potential members of the U.S. Supreme Court.

“My goal is to promote transparency and accountability, restore the committee’s role as a true check on the massive and powerful federal bureaucracy,” Grassley said in a statement released Jan. 8.

He also said he intends to use his role as chairman to help keep the United States on the cutting edge of technology and business growth.

Grassley’s agenda for the committee includes the following:

Protecting consumers;

Reducing regulatory burdens;

Curbing abuses of the civil justice system;

Shielding children from drugs and predators;

Protecting taxpayer dollars from waste, fraud and abuse;

Securing the border;

Improving legal immigration opportunities; and

Adapting criminal laws to changing technology.

Grassley has long been is a powerful voice in Washington for conservative values and common sense. He is also one of the Senate’s most hard-working and fair-minded members. His distinguished record on Capitol Hill is good reason to feel confident that he will be an outstanding chairman the Judiciary Committee.

We congratulate Grassley on being selected for this major new undertaking. We feel certain that he will be a superb leader of the committee. With this remarkable Iowan in such a key post, the Senate is off to an excellent start.